Palau's Plan for Plunder
By Edward Dorson
The Republic of Palau, famous as a dive mecca for its high-voltage
shark population, is now facing a legislative
siege where the practice of shark finning may soon be legalized. Two insidious
bills, No. 8-44 and No. 8-50, were introduced during March
and were passed in their first readings by a newly elected
Senate. If passed in their second and third readings by both
the Senate and House of Delegates, these bills can become law.
Either would devastate Palau's sharks and marine resources
for the financial gain of a relative few. This poses a terrible
threat for the sharks, the ecosystem, and for Palau's economy
and culture in one of the planet's last relatively healthy
marine habitats.
In stark contrast, six years ago Palau's lawmakers reasoned
that activity that encouraged the observation of sharks in
the wild was a tremendous asset for Palau's economy and ecology.
Divers and snorkelers repeatedly experiencing these amazing
predators was a thousand times more profitable than their slaughter
for consumption. Palau's stewardship became a beacon for marine
conservation worldwide. The new law contained two groundbreaking
regulations:
• denies: "...any foreign fishing vessel to fish
for shark, or any part of any such shark."
• demands: "If any shark is inadvertently caught
or captured, it shall be immediately released, whether dead
or alive; if the shark is caught or captured alive, it shall
be released in the manner that affords it the greatest opportunity
for survival."
Palau's new government has now introduced legislation at war
against its own marine environment. Senate Bills No. 8-44 & No.
8-50 would revoke the above-cited regulations that protect
Palau's sharks.
Senate Bill No. 8-44 allows the "accidental" taking
of sharks in Palau's waters and essentially repeals Palau's
ban on shark finning by introducing the notorious 5% shark
fin loophole (the absurd provision where two and one half finless
sharks can be dumped at sea for every one taken ashore).
Senate Bill No. 8-50 specifically allows for five years of
export tax exemption for all fish caught and assigns General
Santos City in the Philippines as the designated transshipment
port for the catches (presently the harbor in Palau). Without
tax collection incentive and with catches avoiding Palau, any
Palauan oversight regarding regulation is removed, such as
preventing rampant shark finning and overshooting quotas. This
bill is particularly worrisome in that it's sponsored by the
brother of Palau's President, the one man who can veto these
bills.
The emergence of these bills coincided with negotiations between
Palauan and Filipino fishing firms to enter into agreement
along with delegations representing Palauan political support
for the fishing companies. This was spearheaded by Kuniwo Nakamura,
former Palau President (1993-2001) and the president of the
Kuniyoshi Fishing Co., a firm with a long history of arrests
for illegal finning within Palau's waters.
It is noteworthy that Mr. Nakamura is also the owner of the
firm that oversees all vessel activity in Palau's national
port. In addition, he is president of another company that
was recently given a no-bid contract to perform all security
at Palau's airport. Thus, Nakamura, a man tied to shark finning,
essentially has control of all air and sea shipping activity
in Palau.
The sharks of Palau must not be allowed to be plundered by
a handful of corrupt or short-sighted politicians and fishing
firms. By encouraging shark finning and overfishing while also
exempting Palauans from fish-caught tax revenue, Palau would
quickly destroy its resource base for future generations, and
would drastically undermine its potential for self-sufficiency
and sustainability.
Please lend your voice to help stop this travesty and let
Palau realize they're under a harsh global spotlight. Describe
what despoiling Palau's waters would mean ecologically and
also in personal terms of ever again seeing Palau as a desirable
travel destination. Two agencies are fighting for the bills
withdrawal, and are requesting emails from all concerned individuals
for formal review before the Palau Senate Committee on Resources,
Commerce, Trade and Development.
Comments should be submitted to: Palau Chamber of Commerce • pcoc@palaunet.com and
Belau Tourism Association • bta@palaunet.com.
Also cc the Senate Assistant • dilchesechid@hotmail.com
For a more expansive account of this situation and for other
means to influence the status of Palau's legislative threats,
please go to the "Current Campaign" page on my website:
http://dorsonstudios.com
